For International Women’s Month, a doctor and self-described mama’s boy reflects on menopause, hormone therapy, and why Filipina women deserve better options.
I am not a woman, but I was raised by them. I was raised by a strong mother, Emmy, who taught resilience without ever asking for applause. I was raised alongside my sister Hannah, who carries responsibility as if it were second nature. I was raised around titas and ninangs who quietly hold families together, and by grandmothers who built entire generations through sacrifice and love. These are the women who shaped me.
Many of them are now entering the stage of life known as perimenopause or menopause.
Why Filipina women endure menopause symptoms in silence
What struck me was not what they said, but what they did not say. Most of them insisted that they were “okay.” They did not complain, and they did not describe anything serious. But if you listened carefully, the story sounded different. Many talked about persistent sleep problems, difficulty concentrating, unexpected weight gain, mood changes, hot flashes, declining libido, vaginal dryness, and fatigue that felt deeper than ordinary tiredness.
Many Filipino women were raised to endure discomfort quietly and to put family first. When something feels wrong, the instinct is often to tolerate it rather than complain. They continue functioning because everyone else depends on them. In that environment, menopause becomes just another burden that women silently carry.
Understanding menopause—it is more than just aging
In many Filipino households, women serve as the emotional center of the family. They are the caretakers, planners, and quiet leaders. By the time menopause arrives, many have already spent decades prioritizing the needs of everyone around them. When hormonal changes begin affecting their bodies and minds, it becomes easy to dismiss the symptoms as stress or simply the normal process of aging.
However, menopause is not merely aging. It represents a significant biological transition driven largely by declining estrogen and progesterone levels. These hormones influence almost every system in the body, including the brain, bones, heart, skin, metabolism, and immune function. When these hormone levels fall, women do not only lose fertility. They also lose many of the hormonal signals that help regulate the body’s internal balance.
The history of hormone therapy and why we must not fear it
For decades, public perception of menopause treatment was shaped by a simple and frightening message that hormone replacement therapy causes cancer.
This perception largely came from the early 2000s publication of the Women’s Health Initiative study, which raised concerns about possible links between hormone therapy, breast cancer, and cardiovascular disease. As a result, hormone therapy prescriptions dropped dramatically. Doctors became cautious, and patients became fearful.
Over time, researchers began to reexamine the data more carefully. Later analyses revealed that the risks associated with hormone therapy depend on several important factors, including the patient’s age, the timing of treatment relative to menopause, the type of hormones used, and the method of delivery. Women who begin therapy earlier, particularly before age sixty or within about ten years of menopause, often have a more favorable benefit-to-risk profile.
In other words, the earlier message that hormone therapy was universally dangerous turned out to be an oversimplification. Many women spent years living with symptoms that might have been manageable with appropriate medical care.
What modern menopause care and HRT can offer
Today, menopause medicine offers more options than many people realize. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is one approach that aims to restore hormone levels closer to physiologic balance when medically appropriate and properly supervised. When prescribed carefully and monitored responsibly, hormone therapy can help relieve hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbances, mood changes, vaginal dryness, and bone loss associated with menopause. Many women experience meaningful improvements in quality of life when these symptoms are addressed.
This is not about vanity. It is about function. It is about helping women regain clarity, energy, and a sense of physical and emotional balance.
At Hara Clinic, we frequently meet women who assumed that their symptoms were simply something they had to endure. In reality, menopause medicine has evolved significantly. Some women benefit from hormone therapy, while others benefit from lifestyle adjustments, metabolic support, or other medical strategies depending on their health history and goals.
Why Filipina women are still underserved
Despite these advances, menopause care in the Philippines remains limited. Many women are never offered a serious conversation about treatment options. Persistent myths about cancer risk continue to circulate. Education around menopause remains minimal. Cultural expectations often encourage women to tolerate discomfort quietly. Even within healthcare systems, the focus frequently remains on disease management rather than quality of life.
As a result, many women conclude that what they are experiencing is simply an unavoidable part of aging.
The symptoms are real
Menopause symptoms are not imaginary. They reflect real physiological changes. Women commonly describe dry or sensitive skin, emotional irritability, hot flashes, disrupted sleep, changes in body composition, difficulty concentrating, and heightened anxiety during perimenopause. These symptoms arise from hormonal fluctuations that influence neurological, metabolic, and thermoregulatory systems.
Understanding this physiology matters because it reminds women that their experiences are legitimate and that support may be available.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution
Another important reality is that menopause care is rarely one-size-fits-all. Every woman’s endocrine system behaves differently. Genetics, sleep patterns, stress levels, metabolic health, and overall lifestyle all influence how hormones fluctuate during this transition. Modern menopause care therefore focuses on personalized treatment, adjusting hormone types, dosing, and delivery methods to suit the individual.
Clinicians are also increasingly recognizing that menopause is not solely a hormonal issue but also a metabolic one. Some women experience significant changes in weight regulation, insulin sensitivity, and energy levels during this stage of life. Emerging research suggests that in certain patients, combining hormone therapy with metabolic treatments such as GLP-1 based medications may improve outcomes. At clinics such as Hara, these discussions increasingly revolve around individualized strategies rather than single universal solutions.
A reflection for International Women’s Month
I am writing this during International Women’s Month, when societies around the world celebrate the strength and contributions of women. Recognition, however, should not stop at celebration. It should also include care. The women who carried families, communities, and entire generations on their shoulders deserve medical attention that respects both their biology and their lived experience.
Menopause should not mean that a woman’s life begins to shrink. Hormone therapy is not a universal solution, and it is not appropriate for everyone. However, it represents one of several tools modern medicine offers to help women remain energetic, clear-minded, and fully present in their lives.
If women can live better and potentially longer with the right support, then they deserve the opportunity to understand their options.
Because the women who spent their lives caring for everyone else deserve care as well.
Menopause should not mean that a woman’s life begins to shrink. Hormone therapy is not a universal solution, and it is not appropriate for everyone.
To learn more about menopause care, hormone therapy, and other personalized treatment options, visit haraclinic.ph or contact Hara Clinic through WhatsApp, Viber, or Telegram number 0917 177 4272 to book a consultation. Hara Clinic is a physician-led clinic focused on holistic health, sexual wellness, and regenerative medicine. The clinic provides personalized, science-guided care designed to support energy, intimacy, and overall quality of life.
This article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Patients should consult a qualified physician for individualized medical guidance.
Menopause should not mean that a woman’s life begins to shrink. Hormone therapy is not a universal solution, and it is not appropriate for everyone.
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